


Sublimate

by tossedwaves



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Harry goes to AIM, Inspired by The Rigel Black Chronicles, and meets Hermione, that’s it that’s the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29254353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tossedwaves/pseuds/tossedwaves
Summary: Harry goes to AIM.
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Harry Potter
Comments: 11
Kudos: 90
Collections: Rigel Black Chronicles Masquerade 2021





	Sublimate

“Are you sure you don’t want to switch places?”

Harry shakes her head. “There’s just too much of a risk. All it would take is one person recognizing us.” She sighs. “I’ll just figure out how to become a Potions Mistress at AIM.”

Archie’s shoulders slump, but he nods.

Harry almost wishes he would try to convince her. But he wouldn’t, not when it is Harry’s soul on the line. 

And so, on September 1st, Harriet Potter finds herself on the way to AIM. 

-0

[HpHpHp]

-0

The Potters have a subdued farewell at the airport. 

No one is happy, though Lily fakes a smile. “I learned a lot at AIM, and I’m really glad I went there. It might be like that for you too, Harry.” Lily seems to be trying to convince herself as well as Harry. 

James just looks uncomfortable. “You’ll do great, Fawn. Try to enjoy yourself at school.”

Harry pushes the storm of emotions down and nods. She _would_ become a Potions Mistress. It just might take a bit longer this way. 

Perhaps Master Snape would prove willing to correspond with her—?

She shakes her head and blinks back moisture. Harry would make it work, somehow. 

-0

[HpHpHp]

-0

There is already another girl in the seat next to hers on the plane. When Harry puts her luggage in the overhead bin, the girl turns her head and fixes Harry with an intent gaze. 

“Hello! My name is Hermione Granger. What’s your name? Are you going to AIM as well? What tract are you going to choose?” She barely pauses to breathe in between all the questions. 

Harry blinks. She wasn’t expecting to meet someone from AIM already. “I’m Harry Potter. And yes, I’m going to AIM.” She looks down. “Unfortunately.”

Apparently she hasn’t mumbled the last quietly enough, because Hermione looks at her sharply. “Why don’t you want to go to AIM? Is it because of the blood purity laws? I just found out that I’m a witch, but I was ever so disappointed to learn that I couldn’t go to Hogwarts.”

Harry flinches. 

Hermione sighs. “It seems like AIM is a very creditable institution, but I really had hoped to go to school in England.”

Harry scowls and sits down in her seat next to Hermione. “I’ve wanted to go to Hogwarts my whole life so I could study under Master Snape. But I’m a halfblood, and the prejudiced blood purity laws have existed for over a decade now. And with England how it is, I don’t see the laws changing anytime soon.” She looks to the side and scoffs. “At least the Potions Guild is a private institution. When I get my Mastery, I can just ignore it all and brew.”

Hermione looks over at her with interest. “Master Snape is—a potioneer?”

Harry smiles. “He’s the _best_ potioneer of our time. Master Snape developed some of the most groundbreaking improvements on the Wolfsbane Potion, and he was the youngest Potions Master ever. His articles in the potions journals are always the most intelligent—he writes like he lives and breathes potions, and no one else can compare.” Harry takes a deep breath and looks Hermione in the eyes. 

“I don’t care what anyone else says. I’m going to become the best Potions Mistress since Master Snape.”

For some strange reason, Hermione hasn’t looked away yet. Usually this is the point when people scoff and roll their eyes. 

But Hermione isn’t laughing. “I think, Harry, if anyone can do it, you can.”

An odd warm feeling rises up in Harry’s chest. She swallows. “Well, it’ll be much harder now. He teaches at Hogwarts, even with all the research he does. And the Potions tract at AIM is _horrible_. AIM is great for Healing and Alchemy, which are somewhat related, but—“

“It’s not the same,” Hermione finishes. 

Harry grimaces. “Exactly.”

“From what you’ve described, potions sounds _fascinating_. I’m muggleborn, so all of this is new to me. I’ve only able to read all of the entry-level textbooks.” Hermione tugs at a strand of her hair. “Potions sounded a bit like muggle chemistry, but I was leaning towards specializing in either Healing or Alchemy, since they have so many different applications. I think my parents would understand the Healing tract a bit better, though, since it’s similar to muggle medical care. That way they could still be proud of me even if they can’t completely relate.”

Harry looks down. Her parents being wizards hasn’t helped their ambivalent feelings towards potions. 

“But you said Potions was related to Healing?” Hermione asks. 

“Yes! Many diseases and magical maladies are only treatable by potions.” Harry takes out her notepad to jot down a few, and Hermione looks over her shoulder. “That’s why Healers and Potioneers have to work together so frequently. 

“I know Alchemy is similarly related, but I know less about it. But in both cases, a lot of the education would overlap, particularly regarding magical theory and herbology.” She puts the finishing touches on a diagram that connects the three. 

Hermione’s eyes shine. “I wish textbooks taught all this! Do you think AIM focuses on the interdisciplinary applications of each tract?”

Harry shakes her head. “I don’t know, but AIM is highly specialized. It’s great because it offers an exemplary Healing tract, but Hogwarts is much better known for offering a well-rounded education, where every student has to learn a lot more about unrelated subjects.” She shrugs. “Then again, it only offers Healing and Alchemy as electives for the upperclassmen.”

Hogwarts’ well-rounded education is one of the things she is least upset about missing out on. Harry only wants to learn about Potions. She doesn’t care about the rest of it. 

Though this conversation with Hermione has gotten her far more interested in the cross-disciplinary applications of potions than she was before. 

Hermione brings her back from her musings with a sigh. 

“I just feel like everything would be easier if we could have gone to Hogwarts. It feels so—so _wrong_ to be shipped overseas like this! How can the wizarding community stand such prejudice? This must violate _so many_ anti-discrimination laws.”

Harry scoffs. “ _What_ anti-discrimination laws? Magical England is living in the Dark Ages—except even muggleborns could go to Hogwarts then! The Wizengamot doesn’t care about anything except preserving its wealth. They couldn’t care less about discrimination.”

The bitter words burst out of her like a flood. They have been building up for Harry doesn’t know how long, and on a flight out of the country to a school she doesn’t want to attend, it feels as if she has nothing left to lose. Hermione’s presence at her side only bolsters her furor. 

How dare Wizarding England decide that the two of them aren’t good enough.

Harry will show them. 

-0—0—0

-0—0

-0


End file.
